End Marks and Other Uses for Periods

Why do authors use periods, question marks and exclamation points?

• to make two sentences into one

• to tell you to pause before reading the next sentence

• to tell you to keep reading without pausing

Which sentence should end with a question mark?

• Don't eat any Takis before dinner

• Brandon ate 20 bags of Takis

• How many bags of Takis can I have

Which sentence would be best to end with an exclamation point?

• I thought the roller coaster was just okay

• Wow, that's the tallest roller coaster I've ever seen

• Did you ever go on that huge roller coaster

A period comes at the end of a sentence that

• tells information

• asks a question

• shows a strong feeling

Lizbeth is writing a report that gives information about sea otters. Choose the best punctuation mark for her to use at the end of this sentence.

Sea otters eat clams, crabs and snails

• . (period)

• ? (question mark)

• ! (exclamation point)

Which title is punctuated correctly?

• Mr Anderson

• Mr. Anderson

• MR Anderson

Which is punctuated correctly?

• PO Box 1234

  Baltimore, MD

• P.O. Box 1234

  Baltimore, M.D.

• PO Box 1234

  Baltimore, MD

• P.O. Box 1234

  Baltimore, MD

Which is punctuated correctly?

• 9:00 p.m.

• 9:00 pm

• 9:00 PM

Which is punctuated correctly?

• 63 m

• 2 k.g.

• 25 lb

Which is punctuated correctly?

• IBM

• I.B.M.